Alpine A290 - the electric hot hatch

Electric Vehicles  New Launches 

The more things change, the more they stay the same. You might think that the development of the EV is a big change, but strip away the new technology and a car is still a car. Or in the case of the brand-new Alpine A290, a hot hatch is still a hot hatch.

Fresh from its world premiere at this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, the fully-electric Alpine A290 has now been fully revealed and should be available to lease before the end of the year.

Despite a relatively distinguished history, Alpine still manages to feel like a bit of a newcomer. It enjoyed a certain degree of racing success through the 1950s and 1960s before the brand was bought by Renault in 1973.

Alpine’s racing department merged into Renault Sport and production of Alpine-badged models eventually ceased in the mid-90s. That was that, until the brand was resurrected with the launch of the Alpine A110 in 2017.

With its cutting-edge design and first-class technical features, the A290 will now sit alongside the A110 in the Alpine line-up, offering a perfect blend of styling and performance in an exhilarating all-electric hatchback.

The styling is intended to give the A290 a road presence to match its performance. Despite being a regular size hatchback, its muscular body appears much bigger thanks to its wide wings, side skirts, rear diffuser, four headlamps, and ducktail roof spoiler. It sits on 19-inch alloy wheels as standard with two different designs available, both of which show off the red or blue brake callipers perfectly.



The interior is equally stylish as well as being very much driver-oriented, not to mention practical with its five seats, five doors, and generous boot space.

The three-spoke sports steering wheel is finished in Nappa leather and festooned with all the buttons you need to make the most of the driving experience. Sport pedals and a footrest also make the A290 a comfortable car to drive.

The race-inspired seats feature extra side support and are separated by the high centre console that incorporates the transmission controls. The 10.1-inch central screen is angled towards the driver, and the physical air-conditioning controls can also be adjusted without taking your eyes off the road.

The central screen is also where you’ll find the Google Maps navigation, another standard feature along with Google voice assistant. You can also use Android Auto and Apple CarPlay to connect a smartphone to the onboard system, either wired or wirelessly.

Two electric drivetrains for the Alpine A290

The power to accompany the stylish looks comes from one of two all-electric drivetrains on offer. The Alpine A290 range comprises two versions, GT and GTS, split across four different variants.

All models utilise the same 52 kWh battery, giving a range of around 230 miles on a full charge. A 100kW DC fast-charging system enables it to go from 15 to 80% charge in 30 minutes, while the regular 11kW on-board charger can top up from 50% to 80% in 1 hour 20 minutes, or 3 hours 20 minutes to recover from 10% to 80%. That’s more than quick enough for overnight charging at home. A heat pump is also included as standard to optimise cabin temperature and preserve range.

New Alpine model range

In terms of the specific models, the entry-level GT version features a 180bhp powertrain, 19-inch alloy wheels fitted with special Michelin Pilot Sport EV tires, tinted rear windows, full LED headlights, heated seats, and adaptive cruise control with stop & go function. It also includes parking sensors front and rear and a reversing camera as standard.

The GT range also includes two complementary models, the GT Premium and GT Performance.

The A290 GT Premium uses the same 180bhp powertrain and focuses on comfort and refinement by adding a contrasting black roof and Alpine Blue brake callipers, Nappa leather interior, a premium audio system, heated steering wheel, and wireless smartphone charger.

The A290 GT Performance worries less about the luxury and more about the performance. It increases the power to an impressive 220bhp as well as adding special Michelin Pilot Sport 5 tyres, red brake callipers, black monograms, electrically folding door mirrors, and Alpine Telemetrics to the equipment list.



The top-of-the-range GTS version combines the best of the two GT versions, adding a few exclusive features such as black Snowflake wheels to go with the 220bhp underneath your right foot.

Alpine may have disappeared for a while but it’s back with a bang now, with the new A290 soon to be joined by a GT-C Crossover and an updated version of the A110.

In this first Alpine of a new era, electric propulsion is combined with its sporting heritage without compromising everyday comfort. Driving pleasure and the thrill of a hot hatch were at the top of the A290 development engineers' list of priorities, and the brand's three pillars - performance, agility and lightweight – are all on show in the brand-new Alpine A290.

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